Love Unspoken
by Evelyn CMB
Summary: One shot. Teela takes her place as the Sorceress, learning all the secrets that go with it. How will it change her relationship with Adam?
1. Part 1: Arrival

_A/N: I started working on this short story before I even finished "Into Etheria." However, as stated in the summary, this is a one-shot having nothing to do with my other stories. I have seen many fanfic stories where Adam and Teela somehow wind up together, yet I'm not sure that would have happened had the original MOTU series continued. I've seen very few fanfic stories where Adam and Teela do not get together, and of those I've seen, even fewer, if any, deal with what that meant to the two of them. So I wanted to write this just to explore what might have happened if Teela had taken her place as the Sorceress. Hopefully I've done a halfway decent job._

_You'll notice that contrary to my other stories, I sort of ignore the side issues that naturally come into play--Adam's relationship with his father, for example. The battle scenes here are almost non-existent as well. After all, this is a short story..._

_Thanks to littlellamagirl for beta-reading for me, since there isn't enough battling in this story to keep my son interested!_

_For the boring disclaimer: I own none of these characters, they are all property of Mattel or somebody like that. And unfortunately, I don't make any money off of this either...sigh._

_Now get the tissues ready, and enjoy... _

* * *

"Adam." 

At the solemn note in his mentor's voice, the Prince of Eternia's hand froze. Cringer, his pet tiger and partner, licked his chops at the sandwich Adam hastily put down as he stood.

"What is it, Duncan?"

"Teela has been summoned to Grayskull."

Sorrow welled up in Adam's heart at that simple statement, but he didn't show it. He had had years of practice at keeping his emotions hidden, even from Duncan.

"So it's time already?" he asked rhetorically. 

The king's Man-at-Arms nodded, his own dark eyes saddened at the burden that would be placed on his daughter that day.

"D-does that mean the Sorceress is going to die soon?" Cringer asked in a wavering voice, still eyeing the sandwich on the table before him. 

Adam frowned. "I don't know, Cringer." He looked to Man-at-Arms. "Has Teela left yet?"

Duncan shook his head. "She's packing a few things to bring with her, just to get her through the next few days. All she knows right now is that the Sorceress needs her."

Adam glanced around the palace grounds as he pulled out his sword. "Well, in that case, I think He-Man and Battle Cat are going to pay the Sorceress a quick visit. By the power of Grayskull!"

Duncan watched, amazement filling him as it always did when he watched his charge transform into He-Man. Adam was now a well-muscled man himself, so it wasn't the increased muscular build that was so noticeable. But the automatic tan, the light blond hair turning golden, and the sudden change in wardrobe from a pink tunic and purple pants and boots to a coridite harness and furry, barbarian-like shorts that barely covered anything…it still amazed Duncan, even after fifteen years. Now that Adam was older, too, He-Man actually appeared slightly younger than the prince, the light laugh lines fading with the sword's magic. But nothing was more amazing than the change in his voice, which now boomed deeply.

"I have the power!"

Then he turned the sword on Cringer, whose courage increased as quickly as his size with the sword's magic. An armored helmet and saddle appeared on the great beast, and Battle Cat stood in Cringer's place.

"Come on, Cat, let's go see the Sorceress," He-Man said. Duncan caught the concern in the hero's undertone and smiled sympathetically at him. He knew the Sorceress was like a second mother to He-Man.

"I'll see you there, lad," the old warrior said.

He-Man shook his head. "I'll be gone before Teela gets there," he said. "This is going to be hard enough. I don't want her to start asking questions of me before she's ready to hear the answers."

* * *

"Greetings, He-Man," the Sorceress said as he entered Grayskull.

He-Man's blue eyes assessed her face rapidly. "Duncan said you've called for Teela," he said by way of returning her greeting.

The Sorceress inclined her head. "Yes. It is time for her to take her place here."

"What does that mean for you?" her champion asked quietly.

"It means that in spite of how young Grayskull makes me appear, I am growing old and tired," the Sorceress answered, amusement and understanding mingled in her voice. "By summoning Teela here now, I will have a little time with her before I must leave Grayskull."

After all these years, He-Man was used to listening carefully to how she phrased things. "Before you must leave Grayskull, or before you die?" he asked, his tone still quiet. His jaw was tight with concern.

The Sorceress shook her head. "The Sorceress I replaced was alive only through the Castle's magic, He-Man. She had been the guardian for a thousand years, while the Castle was hidden. When I took her place, it was past time for her to die. It is not my time to do so, but now that the Castle is no longer hidden, it needs a guardian who can fight the evil that threatens it. I am simply getting too old for it."

"But you're not any older than Duncan," He-Man protested. The Sorceress smiled at him.

"Did it ever occur to you that perhaps Duncan is growing tired as well?" she returned. Her smile grew at the dumbfounded look on his face; apparently the thought had not occurred to him. "Your father is also getting on in years; I sense he is almost ready to turn over the throne to you."

A bark of harsh laughter escaped He-Man. "I doubt that. I can't be in two places at once, and thanks to Skeletor, my father is in no way confident that I'm ready to actually show up for my own coronation." The Sorceress gave him a sympathetic glance that he ignored. "Speaking of which, I've got to get going."

"You aren't staying to greet Teela?" the Sorceress asked in surprise. "I thought that was why you came."

He shook his head and smiled warmly at her. "No, I've learned what I came to find out. Have Teela send for me when she has need of me…or when she's ready to talk to me again." He inwardly shuddered at how furious she would be at him for keeping secrets from her.

"I think you ought to be the one to tell her who you are," the Sorceress said, frowning. That he would want her to do so had evidently never occurred to her.

"Before or after she learns to use Grayskull's power?" He-Man asked dryly. He cocked his head, hearing the whine of the Wind Raider. "Come on, Cat, it's time to go."

* * *

Teela felt a tightness in her stomach she couldn't explain. Something warned her that her entire world would change if she stepped into Castle Grayskull this time. She heard a roar, not too far away, and recognized Battle Cat's cry. Somehow it gave her the courage to walk forward, her father silently following her.

"Hello, Teela, Duncan," the Sorceress said, her voice smooth and peaceful. "Thank you for coming."

Teela smiled. "You're welcome, Sorceress. I don't understand what it is you need from me, though. You certainly seem fine."

The Sorceress led the two of them into another room Teela had never seen, with several comfortable cushioned chairs and a small table. 

"Please, sit down," she said. "Teela, the time has come for the next Sorceress of Grayskull to take my place." She searched her daughter's face. "Do you remember, Teela, the time Skeletor sent me to another world?"

"Of course," Teela answered immediately. The ball in her stomach grew tighter, but she didn't show the stress she was feeling. "The Spirit of Grayskull summoned me here to fill in for you. I still don't understand why."

"Because you are the next Sorceress, Teela," the older woman replied softly.

Teela's lips parted and her eyes widened. "What?"

"You are the one destined to take my place," the Sorceress repeated.

"But I don't have any magical powers," Teela protested. This couldn't be happening. She was Captain of the Guard. She was depended on at the palace. They needed her. She was Adam's bodyguard. Who would protect him if she didn't?

"Neither did I when I came here," the Sorceress responded with a small smile.

Teela swallowed hard, her green eyes shimmering. "But why me? I'm not-"

"Because you put others and your duty before yourself," the Sorceress interrupted. "You are a woman of courage, strength, and integrity." She hesitated ever so briefly, then added, "And you are my daughter."

Teela felt as if her entire body had frozen. "Your…daughter?" she repeated, her voice faint.

"Yes, Teela," the Sorceress said. She looked to Duncan, who nodded encouragement at her. "I could not raise you here; it was too dangerous." She went on to tell Teela how she had attempted to raise her in the mountains, but Mer-Man had nearly captured the two of them. Duncan had saved them, winning her trust. "So I asked Man-at-Arms to raise you in the safety of the palace," she concluded.

Teela was so shocked she couldn't feel anything at first, but as the Sorceress told her story, the shock wore off. Teela had matured a lot over the years, and learned to control her temper somewhat, but when she was set off, her explosions were as fiery as her red hair.

"How could you not tell me?" she demanded of them both. She stood and whirled on Duncan. "Especially you!" 

"I told you what I could, Teela," he reminded her gently. "It wasn't my secret to tell."

"You should have told me anyway!" she yelled at him. "Do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep, feeling as if something were missing?" Duncan grimaced, his eyes burning at the thought of his little girl sobbing in her bed. 

Teela whirled back to the Sorceress, her hands coming up as she clenched them. "And you! All these years you've been right here, and you never told me? All the times I spoke to you about my mother, and you never said a word! You-you-" Her mother's eyes stared back at her, accepting, loving, and Teela's hands dropped as her anger began to fade. "You really are my mother." It was a statement, because Teela knew the truth in her heart. "I knew. Somehow, I feel I already knew."

The Sorceress and Duncan exchanged glances. Teela felt that way because she had known once, when she had gone to see the oracle, but the Sorceress had wiped that from her memory. That, the Sorceress decided now, was a secret best kept at the present time.

"And now you want me to stay here and take your place. Immediately," Teela said, her eyes betraying the incredulous feelings within her. "Walk away from my duties, the people I love…"

"Those who matter most will know where to find you, Teela," the Sorceress countered. "This may seem like a lonely existence, but Grayskull is often frequented by visitors…some of them more wanted than others," she finished dryly.

Teela couldn't help but smile slightly at that, knowing the Sorceress was referring to Skeletor. But she sobered quickly as she saw her dreams of a husband and children fade away. She was thirty-two, and didn't even have a boyfriend right now, but she'd hoped that someday… 

"You may yet have that, Teela," the Sorceress said, reading her mind. "I couldn't keep you here because your father died, but had he lived…things may have been different." She smiled sadly.

Teela felt her eyes fill with tears as she regarded this woman who had obviously sacrificed a lot for Eternia.

"Did you miss me?" she whispered. Her mother rose and kneeled in front of Teela.

"Every second of every day," the Sorceress answered, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I watched you as often as I could."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Teela asked, her voice still hushed with emotion.

"You would have been in constant danger," the Sorceress replied. "The enemies of Grayskull would have used you to gain entrance to the castle. And I would have been powerless to stop them."

Teela gazed into her mother's loving eyes and her heart melted. "Mother," she whispered. She reached for the Sorceress, who threw her arms around her daughter.

"I love you, Teela," she said into the warrior's ear.


	2. Part 2: Confession

Adam paced restlessly. In the two weeks since Teela had left, he hadn't heard a peep from either her or the Sorceress. He had grown up with Teela, and her absence caused a hole in his life.

"Adam, you're going to wear the rug out," Duncan chided him as he entered the library. "You've been wound up for days. Why don't you go for a run?"

It was something Teela would say. Adam gave Duncan an unsteady smile. "I didn't expect it to be quite this hard, Duncan."

Man-at-Arms didn't pretend ignorance, nor did he offer any sympathy to his charge. "You're doing it to yourself, lad. If you want to see her, go see her." He grinned. "In fact, you can run there."

Adam pulled a face at him, but before he could comment, the Sorceress reached out to him.

_Adam, He-Man is needed at Grayskull!_

"Looks like I have an excuse after all," he commented grimly to Duncan, drawing his sword.

"What's going on?" Duncan asked after Adam completed his transformation.

"I don't know," He-Man replied. "The Sorceress just said I was needed."

"Want some company?" Duncan offered.

"I'd love some," He-Man responded with a grin.

* * *

Skeletor laughed as Teela attempted to focus her magic, not realizing she wasn't the Sorceress.

"What's the matter, bird woman, getting too old for this?" he taunted her.

"Ignore him, Teela," the Sorceress said from behind her. "Concentrate on maintaining the castle's forcefield until He-Man arrives."

"How do we know he will?" Teela asked, a trace of doubt in her voice. She had been a bit down that day, the Sorceress had noted. She seemed disappointed that two of the most important men in her life hadn't come around during the last two weeks. 

"I've called for him," the Sorceress said calmly. "He will come. Now concentrate."

Skeletor and Evil-Lyn joined hands and focused their magic into one concentrated beam, aiming to burn through the forcefield and hit the Sorceress.

"You'll never stand against us!" Skeletor cried. "Give up while you still can, old woman!"

"That's sort of the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?" a deep voice asked from behind him. 

Skeletor whirled around. "He-Man!"

"After all, Skeletor, you're what, twice my age?" the hero continued, tossing his sword from hand to hand. "I would think you'd have gotten tired of this after fifteen years of losing."

"You muscle-bound moron, I'll show you," Skeletor muttered. He raised his hands and fired at He-Man, who blocked the rays easily. 

"You'll have to do better than that," he grinned.

"How's this?" Skeletor snapped, and directed rays at Man-at-Arms. 

He-Man shoved his mentor out of the way and blocked the shots simultaneously, forcing Skeletor to jump back. Evil-Lyn began muttering a spell, and He-Man quickly ran at her.

"I'll take that," he said, grabbing her crystal wand. He heaved it in the direction of Snake Mountain. Duncan opened fire on Skeletor, and the Sorceress took advantage of everyone's distraction to transport Skeletor and Evil-Lyn back to Snake Mountain. He-Man grinned and waved his thanks.

_Teela misses you. Come inside,_ the Sorceress told him.

He-Man's grin faded as the jawbridge lowered. He had a feeling Teela still didn't know the truth. That feeling was confirmed by her greeting. She gave her father a hug first, seeming awkward in the unfamiliar outfit of the Sorceress, then turned to him.

"Hello, He-Man," she said, her voice friendly but somewhat reserved. Her eyes seemed to bore into his. He-Man guarded his thoughts carefully, not sure how much she had learned during the last two weeks. 

"Hello, Teela," he answered, outwardly seeming at ease. "How are you liking your new post?"

Teela smiled bravely, but he could see the lingering sadness in her eyes. "Well, it's a challenge, and you know I love a challenge," she said. She bit her lip. 

"Yes, you do," he agreed. "And I'm sure you're doing well at it. You managed to hold off Skeletor until I got here."

"The Sorceress helped," she admitted honestly. She hesitated, then asked, "Did you know I was to be the next Sorceress?"

He-Man nodded, his eyes drinking in the sight of her. He had missed her even more than he had realized. "Yes, I did."

"Oh." Teela felt uncomfortable around him for some reason she couldn't name. She'd always harbored secret feelings for him, but she had chalked it up to a sort of hero-worship. She had never been able to picture He-Man with a woman. His duty to protect Grayskull and all of Eternia came first, and in spite of their warm feelings for each other, she had known better than to take it seriously. But now, it felt as if she were closer to him than ever, yet…she felt as if she were missing something important. She cleared her throat. "I was surprised that I haven't seen you in the last two weeks. The Sorceress said you usually come by a lot."

"Skeletor's been focusing on the palace," He-Man answered, shifting his weight uncomfortably. It was the truth, but he still felt guilty now for staying away. Teela probably could have used his friendship during this transition. "It's kept me a little busy."

"Is everyone all right?" Teela asked immediately, her eyes flashing with the frustration of not being able to be there. A knot formed in her chest. She knew that protecting Grayskull was important, but it was hard not to be around her father and the royal family when trouble hit. 

"Everyone's fine," He-Man hastened to assure her. He noted dryly that the Sorceress and Duncan had retreated to the far side of the room and were holding their own conversation, with glances occasionally thrown in his or Teela's direction.

"I suppose those attacks kept Adam away, too," Teela said, her voice betraying a mix of sarcasm and anger. "After all, he's such a big help when trouble-" She stopped short. It wasn't anything she hadn't said before, to Adam, her father, or even He-Man. Yet for some reason, it suddenly felt wrong to be criticizing Adam.

"Actually, Adam was on his way here to see you when Skeletor attacked," He-Man said, tensing slightly. _I hope this is the right time to tell her. _Had he been looking at the Sorceress, he would have seen her nodding her approval. 

Teela's face brightened for a few seconds, then she scowled. "I guess he took off when he saw there was danger."

He-Man hesitated and looked towards the Sorceress and Duncan, who were now staring in his direction expectantly. He took a deep breath to steady himself. "No, Teela, I didn't."

Confused by his word choice, Teela stared at him. "Not you. Adam." She scrunched her brow as he shook his head and raised his sword in the air. _What's he doing? _she wondered.

"Let the power return," he called out. There was a small flash of light as Grayskull's power left him, and Adam stood before her.

Teela's jaw dropped open, then closed, then opened again. "Adam?" she squeaked. "You're He-Man?"

Adam swallowed nervously as he nodded. He had managed to keep this a secret from everyone for fifteen years. Only Duncan, Orko, the Sorceress, and a few individuals on Etheria knew the secret. Even his own parents didn't know—although he sometimes suspected his mother had some sort of idea. But he had never actually revealed the truth before, and in spite of the fact that this was Teela, his lifelong friend and the next Sorceress, he suddenly felt incredibly exposed and vulnerable.

"That's not possible," Teela said in disbelief. "You always run when there's trouble."

"To become He-Man," Adam explained, holding her gaze.

"You hated your combat lessons. You could never master anything I tried to teach you," Teela argued again. It didn't matter that she'd just seen him transform. She still couldn't believe it. 

Adam looked away for a few seconds, feeling guilty at deceiving her. "I couldn't let anyone know that I could fight," he said, meeting her eyes again. "I had to be as different from He-Man as I could."

"But why?" Teela demanded. Her face started to turn red as hurt and anger flooded her.

The Sorceress intervened. "Teela, remember the exercise we did last week?" Adam tossed her a grateful look.

Unhappy with the interruption, Teela reluctantly turned to her mother. "Which one?"

"Focusing on an event and foreseeing possible outcomes."

"Ye-es," Teela said, drawing the word out. 

"Close your eyes. I want you to concentrate on the idea that all of Eternia knows that Adam is He-Man," the Sorceress urged. 

Teela sighed impatiently, but did as she was told.

"Let go of your anger, Teela," the Sorceress said calmly. "It will cloud your vision."

Teela focused on putting her anger and confusion outside of her for a moment. She then turned her attention on Adam being He-Man, and imagined that all of Eternia had learned the truth. At first all she saw was the joy and pride on the faces of the king and queen, and the celebration of the people as they found their hero and prince were one and the same. Then she saw Skeletor and his evil warriors storm the palace and reach Adam's parents before he could transform. Skeletor killed them, and Adam, distraught with grief and overwhelmed by the added responsibilities of the crown, surrendered his sword back to Grayskull. Skeletor approached the castle, and no one but the Sorceress was there to defend it. Teela's eyes snapped open.

"Oh," she said softly. She met Adam's eyes. "Here I thought you had a cushy life, fishing and napping all those times I couldn't find you. And you were actually out fighting Skeletor." She shook her head, thinking of how exhausted she had been after such battles, and how tiring it had been trying to learn to master Grayskull's magic the last few weeks. Her face flushed again, but from embarrassment this time. "I guess I owe you an apology."

Adam shrugged carelessly, but he was visibly relieved. "Only if you'll accept my apology for misleading you all these years." He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Teela smiled uncertainly. "Of course."

Adam cleared his throat. "Father's expecting me soon. I'd better get back." He inclined his head to the Sorceress, then to Teela. "Good-bye, ladies."

Teela watched him go, hating the distance that was suddenly between them. Once the jawbridge had pulled back up, she wandered into a room to sit down, trying to come to grips with what she had just learned. She wanted to cry out against it and demand to know why she hadn't been told, but she already knew the reason. Her temper had always gotten the better of her. She wouldn't have been able to keep his secret.

"Are you all right, Teela?" her mother asked softly.

"How could I not see it?" Teela asked her miserably. "I grew up with him. I knew that something had changed with him. How did could I have been so blind?"

"Simply put, Grayskull's magic protects him from being discovered," the Sorceress explained. "The similarities, the coincidences…all are forgotten because of Grayskull's power."

A few tears rolled down Teela's face. "I was awful to him," she confessed.

"He understood, Teela," the Sorceress comforted her, giving her a hug. "He always understood."

_Of course he did,_ Teela thought. _He's Adam._


	3. Part 3: Distance

Adam visited a few days later. Teela gave him an enthusiastic hug, determined to start fresh with him and get past the distance she had sensed between them. "I'm so glad you came to visit!" she exclaimed.

Adam returned the hug. "I have to admit, Teela, the palace isn't the same without you," he said warmly.

"What's the matter, no one to order you to get training?" she teased with a grin.

Adam grimaced. "I wish. My father named Saul Captain of the Guard."

Teela felt a twinge at being replaced, but she pushed it aside. She wasn't going to go back anyway. She tilted her head, focusing on Adam's tone. "That's a good choice. He's a loyal soldier, with a good head on his shoulders. So what's the matter?"

Adam quirked an eyebrow at her. "You trained him too well, Teela. I didn't think it was possible, but he's on my case even more than you were." He blew out a breath, missing the chagrin on her face. "I'm thirty-one years old, for crying out loud, and I still have people treating me like I'm sixteen."

Teela had been training with the Sorceress on her empathetic abilities, and she was surprised that in spite of his words, she couldn't sense how Adam was feeling. She could see it and hear it, but not sense it. She shook her head slightly, figuring she must need more practice.

"Is that the only problem?" she asked, concerned for him. Strictly because she grew up with him and because the welfare of Grayskull's champion was supposed to her concern, of course.

Adam shook his head with a small smile. "No. I have my own bodyguard, too. Jason. Apparently Father decided that it would take two people to do what you did." His smile widened, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You're having trouble escaping to change into He-Man, aren't you?" Teela asked intuitively.

The grimace sneaked across Adam's face again. "He's ten years younger than I am, Teela, and a trained runner. I can't always get away from him," he admitted, disgust with himself evident in his tone.

"That could present a serious problem," the Sorceress chimed in as she entered the room.

Adam sighed. "I know. But short of telling my father why I keep disappearing at crucial times, I don't really have any options here."

Teela's brow furrowed as she tried to think of a solution. Telling Randor wasn't a choice, she knew. A few years ago Skeletor had decided that the king probably knew all about He-Man, including his weaknesses. The villain had kidnapped the king and used his magic to get Randor to talk. Fortunately, the king hadn't had anything to tell him, and He-Man had rescued him before anything else could happen to him. Teela knew without asking that because of that, Adam would never tell his father the truth about his identity.

"So how did you get here without him?" she asked suddenly.

Adam flushed slightly. "I didn't. He's outside. I told him I had personal business to attend to, and that I was quite sure the Sorceress and He-Man would make sure nothing happened to me inside Grayskull." A touch of sarcasm laced his words.

Teela stretched out with her developing powers and sensed an annoyed young man outside. "Ah, yes, I can sense a familiar frustration with a certain prince." Opening her eyes, she grinned at Adam, and he returned the smile. For a second, everything was normal between them, and she felt a brief connection, but then it disappeared, as if someone had shut the door on it.

Teela cleared her throat. "Look, Adam…I really am sorry for all the things I said about you not taking responsibility, and being lazy…" her voice trailed off. Her mouth was turned down at the corners, her face reflecting the depth of her sorrow.

"It's okay, Teela," he assured her, reaching out to ruffle her hair as he had when they were kids. She ducked and looked into his blue eyes. There was only friendliness and forgiveness reflected there, but something still seemed off to her. She couldn't place it.

Adam bid the two of them good-bye, knowing he had to get back to the palace. Teela watched him go with a saddened heart, then turned to her mother.

"I can't sense his feelings like I can others," she said, confused. "Why?"

The Sorceress' eyes widened. "I don't know, Teela." _Unless…_she frowned as the only possible answer occurred to her, but said nothing more to Teela.

* * *

"How do you do this?" Teela demanded of the Sorceress. "How do you sit in here and just…watch, when people are in danger?"

"I do all I can with the limitations placed on me," the Sorceress replied calmly. "Being Grayskull's guardian comes at a price. I have very little power outside the castle."

Teela's fists clenched as she watched the view screen. Skeletor had attacked the Widgets in another attempt to gain their coridite for himself. He-Man and Battle Cat had gone to their aid, but they were really outnumbered this time. Skeletor seemed to have called in all the recruits for this one: Whiplash, Kobra Khan, Beast Man, Trap Jaw, Evil-Lyn, Clawful, Merman, and Spikor were all there. 

"No!" Teela cried out as Whiplash caught He-Man in the back, knocking him to the ground. The Sorceress' eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she observed Teela. She had known her daughter's feelings for Adam were strong, but she had thought they were those of a sister for a brother. Perhaps she had been wrong.

Teela breathed a sigh of relief as Battle Cat jumped into the fray, giving He-Man enough time to get back on his feet. Just as quickly, though, she gasped in dismay. Kobra Khan was using his sleep gas from behind He-Man. The hero didn't realize he was breathing it in until it was too late. He and Battle Cat collapsed before their eyes.

"Now what do we do?" Teela snapped at her mother. Every part of her being was screaming to go to He-Man's side. She trembled with the effort of staying in the castle where her new duties lay, and her eyes didn't leave the view screen, which showed He-Man and Battle Cat lying motionless and Skeletor laughing with glee.

"Your father is already on his way there with Fisto, Ram-Man, and several of the guards," the Sorceress pointed out. 

"I should be there," Teela hissed. 

"No, you should be here," the Sorceress replied. "You cannot allow your personal feelings to get in the way of your duty, Teela."

Teela bit her lip. She knew that. "But for the last fifteen years, my duty has been to protect Adam and his parents," she explained softly, still watching the screen. Duncan and the others arrived and forced their way to He-Man's side. Skeletor laughed again and disappeared, taking his allies with him.

"Where did they go?" Teela asked, frustrated and relieved at the same time. At least He-Man was safe.

"Where did they go?" the Sorceress challenged back. Teela sighed in annoyance and refocused her attention on the view screen, making it locate Skeletor. Her eyes widened.

"Oh no! He's outside of Grayskull!"

"And now you understand," the Sorceress said, unruffled. 

"What do we do?" Teela asked frantically. He-Man wouldn't be able to save them this time.

"Stand firm, and call for help."

* * *

Duncan and the others were loading He-Man and Battle Cat onto a wind raider as the Sorceress reached out.

_I hear you,_ Duncan replied back to her. _We're on our way._ He glanced at He-Man. They were an hour from Grayskull. Hopefully the hero would wake up by the time they got there.

* * *

Teela watched worriedly as the Sorceress concentrated her powers on maintaining the castle's defenses. Skeletor had put the coridite in some sort of machine that was draining the Sorceress's strength. After nearly an hour of battling it, the older woman was just about done in. 

"Teela," she gasped. "You must use Grayskull's powers to wake up He-Man when they arrive. We cannot defeat Skeletor without him." With that, she sank to the ground. 

"Mother!" Teela cried out. She glanced out the window and saw Skeletor's minions using a grappling hook to lower the jawbridge. She quickly hefted the Sorceress over her shoulders and carried her into a nearby room that was hidden from sight. At least she would be safe. 

The whine of the wind raider's engine reached Teela's ears just before the jawbridge lowered with a crash. 

"At last!" Skeletor cried. He turned to his followers. "Keep those do-gooders busy while I claim Grayskull's power! Evil-Lyn, come with me!" 

Teela was torn between heading down to confront them and waking He-Man as her mother had told her to do. She wasn't sure she had enough control to do it. Her battle skills might be of more use. Teela took a few hesitant steps towards the staircase, then stopped. This was wrong. She had to wake him. She knew it with absolute certainty. 

Closing her eyes, Teela was able to see outside the castle walls. She closed herself off from the fighting that was already in full swing, and focused on He-Man and Battle Cat. She forced the castle's magic into them physically to reduce Kobra Khan's sleep effects, and at the same time touched He-Man's mind gently. _Wake up! He-Man, Grayskull is in danger! You must wake up_! 

Something was wrong. He-Man could feel it. He wasn't supposed to be sleeping. He was supposed to be protecting something, someone. His body began to lose the weighted feeling of sleep; his muscles began twitching in urgency. Suddenly he heard Teela's voice in his mind, and his eyes snapped open. 

Inside Grayskull, Evil-Lyn paused. "Skeletor, someone inside the castle is using magic." 

"I thought that woman was defeated!" he snarled. 

"Maybe you didn't count on me," Teela called from the bottom of the stairwell. She had shed the Sorceress' garb and was back in her normal armor.

"Teela! What are you doing here?" Evil-Lyn snapped. 

"Just picking up a few new tricks," the redhead replied with a smirk. She raised her hands and tried to stun the two of them with the little magic she knew. They leaped out of the way just in time. Evil-Lyn retaliated with magical bonds that fastened Teela's arms to her side. 

"So, the woman has some latent abilities," Skeletor mused. "We could use her powers to supplement our own, Evil-Lyn." 

The witch's smile grew nasty as they advanced on Teela, who swallowed hard. "With the right spell, we could," she agreed. 

"Stop right there, you two," commanded He-Man's voice from behind them. The two villains whirled around. He-Man promised Teela with his eyes that he'd have her free in a minute as he stepped forward, sword drawn. 

"Blast it, how did you wake up so soon?" Skeletor cried out. 

He-Man grinned. "Well, bonehead, I'm a lot younger than you. I don't need much sleep." 

"Don't move, He-Man, or I'll make Teela my personal slave for all eternity!" Evil-Lyn ordered. 

He-Man's grin grew. "Evil-Lyn, I'd love to see you try." Teela's mouth dropped open, and he winked at her. Her heart lifted of its own accord.

"With pleasure," the witch growled. She turned back to Teela, and He-Man took advantage of her distraction to throw his sword just right. The flat of the blade hit Teela's bonds, freeing her.

"Foolish move, He-Man," Skeletor muttered, raising his hands. He lowered them as Duncan appeared beside He-Man, followed by Ram-Man.

"Blast it," he muttered. "Those idiots couldn't even keep the others busy!" He glanced at Evil-Lyn, who was sneering at Teela. "I think we've worn out our welcome."

"Only as soon as you arrived," Teela retorted. Skeletor raised his hands and was gone, taking his minions with him.

"Are you all right?" He-Man asked Teela. She searched his face with her calm green eyes, trying to ascertain the reason she could sense no feeling from him. Duncan was relieved, and she could feel his love. Ram-Man was glad to see her. But from He-Man, there was nothing. Yet his face, his voice, his eyes…they were the same they always had been, friendly and concerned.

What was going on?

* * *

"You seem troubled, Teela," the Sorceress said later that day. "Did the battle today upset you?" Her green eyes assessed her daughter's tension.

Teela felt a rush of warmth. The best part of this entire mess had been getting to know her mother, and feeling her mother's love on a regular basis.

"No, Adam did," she admitted. The Sorceress raised a questioning eyebrow. "Mother, after it was over, I could sense everyone's feelings but his. I could tell Father was relieved, Ram-Man was glad it was over and I was safe, Fisto was frustrated that they escaped again…but even though He-Man sounded and looked like himself, I couldn't get a sense of what he was feeling." Teela bit her lip, then continued. "I grew up with him. We've both been given an incredible responsibility. We should be closer now than ever, but in spite of the fact that he came to visit, and everything seemed normal…" Teela's eyes filled with tears. "I don't think he cares for me at all anymore, Mother. I feel like I've lost something precious."

The Sorceress laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Teela, I need you to try something for me…"

* * *

Adam walked down the hall, Jason's footsteps echoing his. His frustration mounted at the guard's persistence. 

_Adam?_

_Sorceress? Is everything all right? _

_Perhaps. Go to Duncan's lab, please. Alone. _

Adam whirled around to face the soldier.

"Look, Jason, I appreciate your diligence, but I don't think you need to follow me around inside the palace," Adam said, trying to sound friendly when he really felt like yelling.

"I'm sorry, Prince Adam, but King Randor ordered me to be with you at all times," the young guard replied with a mixture of nervousness and agitation. His brown eyes darted around constantly, as if he expected Skeletor himself to leap out and attack.

Adam sighed. "Well, I need to talk with Man-at-Arms. Privately. So we're going to have to figure out something that will give me a little room without getting you in trouble." He bit back a grin. "How about I hit you and you pretend it knocked you out?"

"What?" The slimmer man took a step back, alarm filling his face.

Adam chuckled, knowing Jason wouldn't want to be known as the soldier the "cowardly prince" had taken down. "Just kidding. Look, give me an hour to meet you back here. If I'm not back, you can come drag me out of Duncan's workshop yourself. Okay?"

Jason nodded reluctantly. Adam frowned as he continued down the hall. He was going to have to do something about his father's order. 

* * *

"What's up, Duncan?" Adam asked as he entered the workshop.

"It seems I should be asking you that," Duncan answered soberly. "Have a seat, lad." Zoar perched on a pipe above them, silently observing without revealing her presence to the prince.

Adam did so, his brow furrowed. "I don't understand. What's the matter?"

"You know that with Teela's training, she has learned to sense the feelings of other people," Duncan said, watching the younger man carefully. Adam stiffened ever so slightly; Duncan was probably the only person who would have caught it. 

"Yes," Adam responded casually, his brow still furrowed. Duncan decided not to beat around the bush.

"She hasn't been able to sense anything from you, either as Adam or He-Man," Duncan said. His own brow was creased as he studied Adam. "She can't even contact you through telepathy, because you've closed yourself off from her so completely. Teela thinks you don't care about her at all, that maybe you're mad at her or even dislike her, and hiding it."

The two men stared at each other for several minutes. Zoar could sense great turmoil within Adam as he wrestled with whether to tell the truth. Adam finally looked away, pressing his lips together for a few seconds. "I do care, Duncan," he finally confessed, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I care too much."

Duncan shook his head. "Adam, that doesn't mean you can't work with her, and let her in enough to at least communicate with you. The Sorceress has to be able to contact He-Man when he's needed."

Adam blew out a breath. "I know. But I need some more time to get my feelings under control."

Zoar, in tune with Adam at the moment, understood immediately. _Oh, no, _she thought in dismay. Man-at-Arms' face reflected his confusion. "Adam, how is this any different than communicating with Adora?"

There was another short silence as Adam swallowed hard, then slowly met his mentor's perplexed gaze. "What I feel for Teela is way beyond a brother-sister relationship, Duncan. It has been for years now."

Duncan's jaw dropped. "You mean-"

Adam nodded, only his eyes reflecting his sorrow. "I love her, and if I weren't destined to become king, and she to be the Sorceress, I would have told her five years ago when I realized how important she'd become to me." He took a deep breath and got himself under control. "That's why I've closed her out, Duncan. If she could sense what I'm feeling…" He ran a hand through his hair. "It would only cause us both pain, and ruin the friendship we've had all these years. I just can't do it."

Duncan regarded him sympathetically. "But Adam, you're risking that friendship by shutting her out."

Adam shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what else to do."


	4. Part 4: Revelation

Adam braced his hands on the rail and looked out over the city as the sun set. Fifteen years. It was a long time to have shouldered the responsibility, the burden, of being He-Man. Now on top of this mess with Teela, his father was pushing him to get married. 

"You're not getting any younger, Adam," Randor had said at dinner. "You need to settle down and marry. The throne will be yours soon, and you'll need an heir."

Adam dropped his head. That's just what he wanted: the weight of the crown along with the Power Sword. He'd always optimistically—and foolishly, apparently—assumed he and the Masters would defeat Skeletor long before he had to take the throne. But Randor was nearing sixty, and Adam knew his time as a background prince was growing short—perhaps not as short as the Sorceress had indicated, but shorter than Adam would like. _How am I going to be both king and He-Man?_ Adam shook his head, realizing he was deliberately avoiding the immediate issue—Teela.

A familiar screech pierced the air, and Zoar landed on the railing, her black eyes even sharper than her voice.

_I was in Duncan's workshop this afternoon._

Panic burst open in his chest, then subsided. "So you know," Adam stated calmly.

_Yes. And regardless of what Duncan thinks, I believe you are right, Prince Adam._

He frowned; he didn't want to hear that. "I'm not so sure. Why do you think I'm right?"

Your duty is to the throne and to honor your promise to Grayskull. Teela's is to safeguard the castle. The falcon eyed him disapprovingly as Adam shrugged and looked away. You are deliberately being difficult.

"Man-at-Arms got me thinking," Adam confessed. "What if I did tell Teela, and she feels the same way? Is there a way it could work?"

The falcon shook her entire body. _Without it being a distraction? You cannot rule from Grayskull, she cannot leave it. What of your children? Would they be raised here, away from their mother, as Teela was away from me? Would not the powers of darkness target them, and you, as a way to gain entrance into Castle Grayskull?_

They were familiar statements. Adam had made them to himself several times over. "I know you're right," he said, disheartened. "But it's not easy to accept." He sighed. "And I don't know how to let Teela in without revealing my feelings completely."

_I will help you. _

With the Sorceress' help, Adam learned to control his feelings more carefully. He'd always been able to hide them completely—when his duty as He-Man called, he didn't have a choice—but now he learned how to tamp them down instead of turning them off. Over the next week, Adam went to Grayskull several times, and now that Teela could sense his feelings, the two of them began to regain the footing in their friendship. 

During his third visit Adam invited Teela to go for a walk. "You might as well get out while you have the chance," he teased her. "After you take over, your social life will go down the tubes."

Teela laughed. She had been so dedicated to her job as Captain of the Guard that she had had no social life before, and Adam knew it. "Good thing you're not the one taking over," she teased back. "You couldn't handle giving up _your_ social life."

He grinned at her. "You're absolutely right," he admitted cheerfully. "Shall we?" He held out an arm, and Teela slipped her hand into the crook.

"So I hear your father's giving you a hard time about getting married," Teela said, smirking at him. She glanced around. "Hey, where's your shadow?"

Adam chuckled. "I sat down with my parents, and between me and Mother, we managed to convince Father to call him off—after I beat both Saul and Jason in a few rounds of sword play." 

Teela's eyes widened. "You didn't."

Adam nodded. "I did. Father was speechless." He grinned, obviously delighted with himself, and Teela giggled.

Adam's grin faded and he sighed lightly. "Unfortunately, he can never be happy with me for long, so Father immediately moved onto the marriage kick."

Teela clucked sympathetically. "At least he didn't enforce that stupid rule that you have to be married by the time you're thirty."

"Yeah," Adam answered softly, glancing at her. "That was good."

"Well, what have we here?" came a familiar voice. 

"Whiplash!" Adam hissed through clenched teeth. His arms were suddenly grabbed painfully in pinschers. He didn't need Teela's horrified gasp to know it was Clawful.

"What should we do with them?" Clawful asked.

"You don't actually have us yet!" Teela cried out, taking a defensive stance with her staff ready in both hands. Whiplash swung his tail at her, and she ducked.

Adam struggled against Clawful, who tightened his grip further. Adam felt something wet dripping down his arm, and knew the creep had drawn blood. He stomped on Clawful's foot, then whirled out of his grasp and punched him in the face. His reward was a sharp pain in his head, and the prince fell into darkness.

"Adam!" Teela cried out as Whiplash's tail caught her childhood friend in the left side of the head. Adam was knocked sideways several feet, and lay still. 

"It's just you and me, girlie." Whiplash grinned nastily. Teela realized that Adam had managed to knock out Clawful after all.

Teela smirked, stood up straight, and fired a stun blast from her hand. Whiplash, caught off-guard by this unknown power of hers, was thrown backwards, unable to move. Teela rushed to Adam's side.

A dark bruise was already forming on the side of his head. Teela's eyes traveled the length of him, checking for other injuries, but she found only a few puncture wounds on his arms where Clawful had squeezed. Teela put her hands on Adam's shoulders and shook him.

"Adam? Adam! Wake up," she insisted. 

Using her empathetic powers was becoming a constant habit for Teela, and so she was tuned into Adam when he finally came to. His blue eyes opened, unfocused, and saw her blurry face.

"Teela?" he murmured. Adam stared up at her, feeling confused. Was this a dream? Was there something he was supposed to be doing right now? Teela's face was less than a foot away from his, and she seemed to be leaning towards him. 

Adam's love for her suddenly swelled. He reached up and touched her face tenderly before his vision cleared and he realized this wasn't a dream. His sense of duty set in and Adam dropped his hand, but their eyes locked, their emotions laid bare. In that brief, unguarded moment, the love he felt for Teela rushed through her, leaving her momentarily stunned. Then her own heart flared in response.

Adam didn't need Teela to say it; he could see that she did indeed love him. Joy swelled in him, yet his heart was ripped in half at the same time. _Oh, Ancients, no… _

Teela's own love and turmoil was added to what she felt emanating from Adam, and she nearly gasped aloud with the intensity of it all. _I was a fool,_ she thought, dazed. _I never realized how he felt…or how I felt. And there's nothing we can do about it. He's going to be king, and I'm the next Sorceress._

It seemed as if an eternity passed as they stared at each other. Finally Teela slowly drew back, slight tremors shuddering through her. Adam sat up, holding his hand to his head with a low groan as a wave of dizziness hit him. 

"Here, let me-" Teela began to say.

"No, the sword can take care of it," Adam responded hastily, not sure he wanted to feel her touch at that moment.

"Let me try," Teela requested softly. Adam held her gaze for a few seconds, then reluctantly nodded. Teela touched her hand gently to the injury on his head. Adam shut his eyes against the flood of bittersweet feelings that rushed through him. The physical pain left after a few seconds.

"You're getting pretty good at that magic stuff," he teased her lightly, striving to get them back on familiar ground.

"I think it runs in the family," she replied with a casual shrug and a smile. 

They walked back to the castle, neither acknowledging what had just happened. People were counting on them. Prince or champion, captain or sorceress, Adam and Teela were bound by their duties, by their destinies. The people of Eternia would come first—they always had, and they always would. 

* * *

Adam was making his way back to the palace when he suddenly felt Teela's presence. He stopped and turned back. She stood in the southern tower's window, watching him. Adam buried the longing he felt deep inside, and allowed only a calm acceptance to respond to her. He raised a hand.

_See you tomorrow, Teela._

A slight awe filled Teela as she sensed Adam's steady acceptance of their destinies. He was stronger than she had ever realized. At the same time, Teela's heart lifted at his words and at the fact that she could sense something from him. She'd been afraid he would distance himself even more from her. 

_If you aren't too busy taking a nap,_ she teased him. Though he was too far away to see his smile, she could feel it. She waved back at him and watched as he turned and continued on his way.

* * *

The new Zoar settled on the windowsill to watch the wedding. Teela had taken over from her mother more than a year ago, and she frequently flew to the palace to visit her friends. Even if she did usually have to remain a falcon, there were plenty who knew her secret who would talk with her. Then there were folks like Ram-Man, who would talk to her even though he didn't know who she was.

Zoar screeched in delight as the bride came down the aisle, her dark auburn hair spilling down her back elegantly. Two years ago, the rebellion on Etheria had finally defeated the Horde. Adora had returned to Eternia for good, bringing a surprise with her: Castaspella. It turned out that the Red Knight had been Casta's older brother, and with his return, she had a little free time on her hands. At Adora's urging, Castaspella came to Eternia, and never got around to leaving. She and Adam were engaged a year later. 

Teela found, to her surprise, that she actually liked Castaspella. She was kind and polite without being sickeningly sweet. She would make a good queen and a good partner for Adam, and she and the former captain had already become friends. As for the prince…he looked happier than Teela had seen him in years, and she loved Adam enough to be happy for him.

Teelana still held hope that one day her daughter would find someone as well, but the new Sorceress knew better. Every sorceress of Grayskull was blessed with some knowledge when taking on the mantle of Grayskull's power. Teela knew that He-Man and She-Ra would either ultimately succeed or fail when it came to getting rid of the evil on Eternia. This stalemate would not continue much longer. If they lost, Grayskull would be lost and as the Sorceress, she would be lost as well. If they won, Grayskull would reclaim the swords and become hidden once more. And in that case, Teela would be its guardian until the next time it was needed.

She felt no sorrow at that. This was her destiny, and she was proud to serve the people of Eternia. She had loved ones all around her, and Adam was still her best friend. Teela was fervently thankful that neither of them had uttered any words that day when Clawful and Whiplash attacked them. They had quickly reverted to treating each other like brother and sister, relentlessly teasing one another. If one of them lost track of the jabs as their gazes locked, neither ever acknowledged it. 

Their choice to sacrifice what could have been was mutual, and it was made for the greater good. For Adam, it was a choice he had made years ago; he knew in his heart he had to move on and fulfill his duty as the next king. He locked away the knowledge that Teela had returned his feelings. He didn't focus on what they had given up, but on the friendship they shared. 

Teela treasured the memory of that one moment when Adam's feelings were revealed. It was enough to know that he had once loved her that much because it had to be enough. She didn't dwell on the lost future, but on the fact that the Sorceress and He-Man were needed to fight evil on Eternia, and that they would do so side-by-side until that evil was defeated.

As the newlyweds strolled back down the aisle, Zoar sent a message to Adam. _I am truly happy for you, my friend. May your marriage be blessed with happiness._ If Zoar had lips, she would have smirked as she projected the next thought. _My wedding gift to you is that I will call on She-Ra for help while you're on your honeymoon._

Adam glanced over, a grin lighting his face. _Well, that's very kind of you, Zoar,_ he replied silently. _I know a few trolls who could take lessons from you!_

Zoar let out a strangled cry that had to pass for laughter, since the falcon was not capable of such a noise. 

_Congratulations, Castaspella. Come by and see me when you return._

The former queen of Mystacore and future queen of Eternia looked at the falcon as well. _I will, Zoar. _

Zoar let out a screech and set off for Grayskull, enjoying the feel of the wind through her feathers and the joy emanating from the people she left behind. For the moment, her friends' happiness was her own.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading, everyone!_


End file.
